Donation From Jailed Executive Kept by the Quinn Campaign for Years

Reddy Kancharla, president of Testwell Laboratories listens as opening arguments are presented, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, at State Supreme court, in New York. Attorneys for both sides presented opening argument to the jury, in the racketeering trial against the testing company. Prosecutors say Testwell doctored and sometimes simply made up concrete and steel test results for more than 100 projects. The defendants say the disputed results reflect mistakes, minor adjustments or common industry practices. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)
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AP/Louis Lanzano

NEW YORK CITY — V. Reddy Kancharla, the former president of Testwell Laboratories, was convicted in 2010 of faking safety test results for the concrete being used in Yankee Stadium, One World Trade Center and other major New York City construction projects.

He was also a supporter of Council Speaker Christine Quinn's mayoral campaign after giving a $500 donation in October 2007. Quinn's campaign did not return the funds even though Kancharla was a convicted felon.

During his trial, Kancharla tried twice to take his own life before being initially sentenced to 21 years in prison. An appeals court in 2012 overturned the most serious conviction of enterprise corruption. Kancharla has been released pending appeal.

"As is our campaign policy, donations from individuals convicted of a crime are returned," Quinn campaign spokesman Michael Morey wrote in a statement. "This small contribution is being returned as well."

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